A Bullet Never Lies
by actlikesummer
Summary: An alternate ending to episode 8, "Memories We Fear". What would have happened if the bullet didn't go through the window when Abby charged Lucas? ONE-SHOT


Disclaimer: I do not own Against the Wall. This is based off of the episode "Memories We Fear", but AU after she charges Lucas.

* * *

"He's a grown man; he can make that decision on his own. Please give your son a chance to know you." Abby pleaded with Lucas, trying to coax the gun out of his hand.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He said, crying as he put his finger on the trigger.

Abby rushed forward to stop him, and everything was like a blur as she tried to prevent him from shooting himself.

…

Outside the church, the Kowalski men stood waiting to hear any news of Abby's situation. They all knew that this day might come, but they had prayed that Abby never had to have it happen to her. This was their worst fear, and it was coming true.

"God what the hell was she thinking, standing in front of the gun?" Don mumbled to his boys as they stood around in worry.

Neither Steve nor Donnie had an answer for their father and in addition to wishing their sister would be okay, they both silently wished that Richie was there with them. They knew he was probably on a plane right now, hurrying back from visiting his in-laws, but with one younger sibling in trouble, they just wanted to know that he was okay too.

Don walked away in frustration, standing as close to the barriers as he could get. Steve looked at Donnie and sighed. "Why couldn't it have been one of us?"

His brother nodded. "I know. God…we were so mad at her."

Steve looked at him. "She knows that we are all okay now, though. I just wonder why she was so caught up in that one Christmas."

"I think it had something to do with the crime scene photos she saw." He paused. "But we can ask her when she gets out of there." He looked at Steve. "She is coming out of there."

"God I hope so. She has to." Steve muttered and stared back at the church.

Donnie opened his mouth to say something when-

_BANG!_

Their heads immediately whipped to the church entrance as the echo of the gunshot rang out and they ran to the barrier. They were held back by other officers but Don broke through and ran into the church. Their hearts started beating faster as they saw people running around, and when they saw the paramedics and a stretcher go inside, they both paled.

"Guys!"

The guards finally let them pass as the stretcher was being pulled out, their dad rushing next to it. They ran up and felt their hearts stop. Abby looked so pale, and a paramedic was pressing a cloth to her shoulder, trying to halt the blood-flow. She wasn't conscious and her pink blouse was stained a deep red.

"Oh God." Donnie muttered and Steve grabbed her hand.

"Abs…"

She was quickly pulled away from them and Don jumped into the ambulance with her. The second they drove away, Steve and Donnie ran to a car and started towards the hospital. They were halfway there when Sheila called them.

"I'm at the hospital now. Your father wants you to go get your brother from the airport." She told them.

Steve sighed. "But Mom…"

"Just go get your brother, dammit!" She shouted and hung up on them.

They shared a look of surprise and shock, and did as she said. As much as they wanted to be at the hospital right away, they knew that there was nothing they could do for their baby sister at that moment but go and pick up their missing brother.

They got to the airport quickly enough, and found Richie waiting for them. He didn't have any luggage with him, and he ran to the car, nearly knocking people over. He jumped in and just as quickly as they had arrived, they were gone.

"What happened?" Richie demanded the minute they drove away.

"She was investigating a case and found their suspect in the church with a gun." Donnie told him.

"So why are you guys not there? I would have taken a cab." He said, getting a sick feeling in his gut.

The older two shared a look and Steve sighed, his hands gripping the wheel tightly. "Uh…Abby she…she was shot."

Richie felt his blood run cold and he sat back in his seat, his head reeling. He had only been gone a few days and when he left his sister was happy, healthy, and fine. He had just spoken to her on the phone the night before and she was fine. He could barely wrap his head around the fact that his baby sister had been shot.

"No." He whispered.

"She's in surgery, according to the text Dad sent me." Donnie said quickly.

The rest of the ride was silent as each brother fought with the idea that they might have to bury their sister. It sickened all of them, but they couldn't stop the thought from crossing their minds.

…

"We haven't heard anything." Don told them as they ran up to their parents in the waiting room.

For the next hour, they sat around waiting to hear any news on Abby's condition. Don sat with his wife in the corner, trying to calm her down to no avail. The boys alternated their habits. Two of them would be sitting and the other would pace. They all switched off in their movements, and barely spoke to each other.

After what seemed like an eternity had passed, a doctor in blue scrubs finally came out to face the worried family.

"How is she? Is she okay?" Sheila asked immediately.

He sighed. "We got the bullet out. She did lose a lot of blood, but it could have been worse. Your daughter's very lucky…this could have been much, much worse than it was. They are transferring her to a room now, so I will send a nurse to get you when she is settled."

"Thank you." Don told him sincerely and held his wife.

After waiting for another few minutes, they were finally able to see Abby. She had a private room, so after some convincing, they were all able to stay and wait for her to wake up. It took a few hours, but when she finally did wake up, she was dazed and confused.

"You're okay, honey." Don told her. "Lucas shot you."

She shook her head weakly. "It was an accident."

They were all confused. "How can you say that?"

"He was going to shoot himself. I tackled him. He was caught off guard. He never intended to shoot me." She said, groggily.

The boys shared a look, and didn't know how to respond to that.

"Well, all that matters is that you're okay now." Steve said after a moment of silence from everyone in the room.

"Richie?"

He stepped forward. "I'm here."

"Why?"

He nearly chuckled. "Um…because you were shot."

She rolled her eyes. "You shouldn't have come home for this."

"Get serious, Abs. There's nowhere else I would be." He said quickly, and took her hand in his.

After a little longer passed, Abby made them go home and get some sleep. It had been a stressful day for everyone, and she felt that it was stupid for them to sit there exhausted while she slept. Although they protested at first, she stood her ground and they promised they would all come back first thing in the morning. She even made Don and Sheila leave, but that was more of a fight.

"Richie?" Richie was the last one out the door, and turned when he heard Abby say his name. "Yeah?"

She hesitated. "Can you stay?"

He nodded and shut the door. "Of course."

He walked over and plopped into the seat next to her bed and as she closed her eyes, he held her hand. "I'm not going anywhere."

* * *

Just another one-shot to hold you over until I start my sequel for "Somebody to Love Me", which will probably be tomorrow. This is just something I imagined for if Abby had been shot instead of the bullet going through the window.

Also, for my sequel to "Somebody to Love Me", I need your opinions. Should Abby and Brody be married or dating in this next story? It is set a few years in the future (in the first story Sarah was 17 and in this she is going to be 20). I had them sort of get together in the first one, so now I am not sure if they should be married or dating still in this story. Let me know your thoughts! Thanks! :)


End file.
